Guidance Dep
GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT 2008
The Guidance Department has played an important and integral part in the school system by assisting learners to discover and use their unique potential to better themselves personally.
This involves giving guidance method lessons and providing confidential couselling. Teenagers seeking to understand themselves or wanting advice on emotional problems that are proving difficult to handle, will visit the councillor. In doing this the learner is better able to implement suggested copying strategies that will best support them to meet life’s everyday challenges.
The Guidance counsellor thus enables learners to explore issues ranging from subject choice to career resource information to more personal issues such as self-esteem, interpersonal relating, self acceptance, emotional intelligence and pro-active behaviour and accountability for actions taken. In addition, sensitive issues such as drug abuse and sexual relationships are discussed as part of the Guidance method curriculum.
Ultimately the counselling process and guidance in general should serve to self empower the leaner to act pro-actively through informed decision making. If this is done learners are better able to succeed within themselves in order to realize meaningful goals and gain fulfillment of dreams for the future.
The Guidance Department has organized representatives from a wide variety of tertiary institutions, exposing learners to different course and career options available in the market place. The annual careers day proved to be very successful, where thirty-five guest speakers were invited to give learners advice on specific careers. The Work Shadow Placement Programme also gave learners in grade 11 and 12 the opportunity to gain work experience in the profession of their choice.
Grade 9 learners required to choose subjects were given the opportunity to ask questions and view superb displays that were presented by Grade 10 and 11 learners who, with the support of all subject heads, made the task of subject choice less daunting and more interactive and informative.
This year has been busy yet highly rewarding. My sincere thanks must go out to all the teachers, parents and learners for endeavouring to seek positive solutions together, for the betterment of all.
MR J HUTCHINSON
